The residents living at GreenFields of Geneva can essentially shrug off what is bad news for the greater Midwest. When Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on February 2, thus predicting six more weeks of what has been an especially brutal winter, GreenFields residents really didn’t care.

“It dawned on me how much snow we’ve had to shovel in the past. We don’t have to do that anymore, nor do we have to take care of our house,” said Judie Knott, one of the original residents of GreenFields of Geneva. “Our grandson took our snow blowers when we moved. We don’t need them anymore.”

The residents are finding they don’t have to venture outdoors because virtually everything that they want or need is within the building, including two restaurants, a fitness center, game room with pool table, creative arts room, library and a salon. “We don’t need to grocery shop. I decided when we moved here that I wasn’t ever going to cook again. With two great dining venues, there’s no need. I got rid of all of our china and crystal,” said Knott.

“We have so many activities going on, the residents have little time to be concerned about inclement weather,” said Judi Donovan, executive director of GreenFields, citing the annual Super Bowl party and upcoming Olympic celebrations. Daily fitness offerings include yoga, aerobics dance and better balance; games include billiards and Bunco, and regularly scheduled activities include news and views discussions, movies, guest speakers with a focus on current events, wine tastings, Bible study and more. “We have a wide variety of programs and events to appeal to everyone’s talents and interests,” said Donovan.

That’s not to say that residents aren’t able to leave the building and in fact sometimes, even embrace the opportunity. Last week, GreenFields residents and associates joined a group from their sister community, Friendship Village of Schaumburg, for a fun afternoon of snow-tubing on the slopes of Villa Olivia in Bartlett. “The residents embraced the idea of reliving a childhood thrill with a ‘let’s-have-fun’ attitude,” said Kathy Barber, lifestyles manager of GreenFields. “The young workers at Villa Olivia were quite impressed with the residents’ resiliency and bravery as this was the first group of seniors to storm the slopes.” After the outing, the group shared hot chocolate in the café. “They all said, ‘sign me up again next winter,’” said Barber.

GreenFields is an exceptional LifeCare community offering an ideal location, a retirement lifestyle you’ll love, and the most comprehensive plan available for long-term care if ever needed. Sponsored by Friendship Senior Options, GreenFields is a sister community to Friendship Village, the largest retirement community in Illinois and the first to become accredited. GreenFields is located at 0N801 Friendship Way in Geneva. For additional information, visit www.GreenFieldsOfGeneva.org.